Johnny Cunningham
Johnny Cunningham (27 August 1957 – 15 December 2003) was a Scottish folk musician and composer, instrumental in spreading interest in traditional Celtic music. Jon Pareles, a culture correspondent of The New York Times, called Cunningham "one of the great Celtic fiddlers of his generation." Johnny Cunningham was born on 27 August 1957 in Portobello, Edinburgh. He was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but later became inactive.
Johnny Cunningham
- Name
- Johnny Cunningham
- Born
- 27 August 1957
- Birthplace
- Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Died
- 15 December 2003
- Place of death
- New York City
- Occupation
- * Musician
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Fields
- music · folk music
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Johnny Cunningham (27 August 1957 – 15 December 2003) was a Scottish folk musician and composer, instrumental in spreading interest in traditional Celtic music. Jon Pareles, a culture correspondent of The New York Times, called Cunningham "one of the great Celtic fiddlers of his generation." Johnny Cunningham was born on 27 August 1957 in Portobello, Edinburgh. He was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but later became inactive.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Johnny Cunningham. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- unresolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q2135260 · wikipedia · Johnny Cunningham
In this article
Biography
Biography
At the age of five, Cunningham began playing harmonica, then accordion and piano. For his eighth birthday, his grandmother gave him a used fiddle which became his favorite instrument. Later in life, he lived in Bedford, MA. He was a founding member of Silly Wizard, as well as a member of Relativity, The Raindogs, and Nightnoise. Throughout his career, Cunningham was a fiddler, composer, and producer. His younger brother, Phil Cunningham, also a former member of Silly Wizard, is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his piano-accordion and whistle playing. Cunningham wrote the music for and performed in the Peter and Wendy which won the 1997 Obie Award for Best Production. Cunningham died of a heart attack on 15 December 2003 in New York City at the age of 46.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Johnny Cunningham • Born — 27 August 1957 • Birthplace — Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland • Died — 15 December 2003 • Place of death — New York City • Genre — * Celtic • folk • rock • Occupation — * Musician • producer • Instruments — * Fiddle • viola • bouzouki • mandolin • mandola • vocals • Years Active — 1972–2003 • Associated Acts — Silly Wizard, Relativity, Nightnoise
Composer
Composer
In the 1990s Johnny worked with the New York-based theater company Mabou Mines on a theatrical production, Peter & Wendy. He composed music and lyrics for this musical adaptation of J.M. Barrie's play "Peter Pan," which won two OBIE Awards. The soundtrack album from this innovative production was recorded and released nationally in 1997. Productions of "Peter & Wendy" have been presented and revived numerous times.
Discography
Solo • Thoughts from Another World (1981) • Fair Warning (1983) With Phil Cunningham • Against the Storm (1980) With Silly Wizard • Silly Wizard (1976) • Caledonia's Hardy Sons (1978) • So Many Partings (1979) • Live in America (1985) • Golden Golden (1985) • A Glint of Silver (1986) • Live Wizardry (1988) With Relativity • Relativity (1986) • Gathering Pace (1987) With Nightnoise • Shadow of Time (1993) • A Different Shore (1995) • The White Horse Sessions (1997) With Celtic Fiddle Festival • Celtic Fiddle Festival (1993) • Celtic Fiddle Festival: Encore (1998) • Rendezvous (2001) With Susan McKeown • Peter & Wendy (1997), also with Seamus Egan, Karen Kandel and Jamshied Sharifi • A Winter Talisman (2001) • Sweet Liberty (2004) With Thomas Moore (spiritual writer) • The Soul of Christmas (1997), also with Seamus Egan, Kathy Mattea, Susan McKeown, Cathie Ryan and Jamshied Sharifi With The Raindogs • Lost Souls (1990) • Border Drive-In Theatre (1991) With others • To Warm the Winter's Night, with Áine Minogue (1995) • ‘’Love and Loss’’, with Steve Payne (1999) • Live on 11th Street, with Casey Neill Band (2003)
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 27 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,438 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Johnny CleggPerson
- Johnny ColesPerson
- Johnny CopelandPerson
- Johnny CostaPerson
- Johnny CymbalPerson
- Johnny DoddsPerson
- Johnny DouglasPerson
- Johnny FlynnPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Johnny Cunningham?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.